Mauricio Pochettino emphasised the need for his team to “feel the pain” and learn from the experience of suffering a defeat to Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley.
Liverpool captain, Virgil van Dijk, secured the winning goal in the dying moments of extra time, leaving Chelsea pained and disappointed.
Pochettino acknowledged the disappointment of missing out on silverware, stating, “They [the players] need to feel the pain like us. They need to realise that we need to work more, do better things. We need to improve and compete at this level against a side that, in the last five, six, seven years, has competed for big things.”
Despite the absence of key Liverpool players due to injuries, Chelsea missed several clear-cut chances during the game. The Blues had opportunities to take the lead, with Conor Gallagher hitting the post and a scramble in the Liverpool box late in normal time going unrewarded.
Reflecting on the loss, Pochettino highlighted the importance of resilience and belief in the team’s project. He drew parallels with Liverpool’s journey, emphasising their persistence and belief even after facing setbacks in European competitions.
“We want to challenge a team like Liverpool. It is not to be frustrated today because we didn’t get the trophy. We need to keep believing as that is the most important thing,” Pochettino stated.
The defeat extends Chelsea’s run of losses in Wembley finals, six and Pochettino, who is still seeking his first trophy in England, called for the team to move forward and continue working towards success.